Embossing press



Aug. 20. 1929. A. LEwls EMBOSSING PRESS Filed Aug. 24, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet lNVENTOR w 0z ou 6 2 W W 4. ;w Oo Z 4 44 w 1.9 z z ,4, W 0, 7 w WI z z ATTORN EYS I Aug- OLIQQ- z A; LEwls l,725,461

EMBOSS ING PRESS Filed Aug. 24, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Z ATToRN EYs Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,725,461 PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN LEWIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T EMBOSOGRAI' CORPORATION O! AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EMBOSSING PRESS.

Application filed' August 24, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in embossing presses of the type disclosed in patents to Pollock No.`1,168,740 and 1,498,- 872, Seagers et al. No. 1,498,795 and Seagers N o. 1,554,235. Important objects of the invention are to provide a press of this type of generally improved construction; to provide improved means for relatively adjusting the press heads in accordance with variat-ions in the type and work thickness; to provide improved carriage means for supporting the type and work; and. to provide improved features of design and assembly in a press apparatus including a press unit, a pedestal and a table.

Other important objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated one satisfactory and desirable einbodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the completely assembled apparatus;

Fig. 2 atop `plan view;

Fig. 3 a Vertical section upon a larger scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 a vertical section through one end of the press, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 a rear elevation of the press and its pedestal with the table member removed from the assembly;

Fig. 6 a Vertical section taken centrally through the handle end of the press;

Fig. 7 a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3 with the lower press head elevated for an embossing operation; and

Fig. 8 a. detail perspective view of the upper press head.

The main frame or body of'the press is of substantially rectangular form and is made up of four castings including a base casting l, a top casting 2 and a pair of side castings 8 and 3ZL disposed between the ends of the bottom and top castings and supporting the latter. Four bolts 4 extend through registering apertures in said castings located adjacent the Vertical corners of the frame. At their upper ends the bolts 4 are provided with heads which bear against the upper face of the top 2. Their lower ends extend into cored out recesses formed at the opposite ends of the base casting and opening throughthe bottom thcreof, and have nuts 6 screwed upon them. Their heads are covered Serial No. 301,717.

by caps 7. All of the castings are thick and strong and the bolts holdl them together to form a rigid frame. The frame is preferably relatively wide from side to side and relatively narrow from front to rear, as shown. Front and rear fianges 8 are formed upon the base casting 1 at the bottom thereof and these flanges are formed with flat ears 9 which are adapted to rest upon a support and hold the remainder of the casting slightly elevated. The ears 9 are formed with bolt apertures 10.

The two side castings 3 and 3a are formed with parallel Vertical surfaces between which a lower press head member 11 is mounted to reciprocate vertically. This press head isy a flat, horizontally disposed, oblong block preferably formed of hard steel, and its upper and lower surfaces are parallel and horizontal. Its ends are guided for sliding movement between the inner walls of the side castings and its front and rear edges are guided by the slightly inwardly turned upper edges of sheet metal face plates 12 which are detachably held to the press body by screws 13 and close the lower porton of the front and rear sides of the rectangular body or main frame.

The head member 11 is forced upwardly through the medium of a steel cam sh'aft 14 having two parallel flat faces 15 and 16 at diametrically opposite points. The cam shaft is provided with two arcuate, diametrically opposed working faces 17 and 18 which are slightly eccentric to the axis of the shaft. The face. 17 rises slightly from its juncture with the flat face 16, while face 18 rises slightly from its juncture with the fiat face 15. One end of the shaft 14 projects outwardly through a Vertical slot 19 in the frame side member 3a and has an operating handle 20 fixed to it for rotatng the shaft. The opposite end of the shaft projects into a cored out recess 21 in the side member 3. The member 33' is similarly cored out as at 21a. ing mechanism are normally in the positions o shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6 being arrested therein by engagement of. a stop lug 22 on handle 20 with anabutment 23 upon the frame member 1. The end portions of the shaft are made cylindrical to form journals 24 and 25 which correspond substantially in diameter with the width of vertically elongated slots 26 and 27 in the frame members The parts of the lift- 3 and 3a respectively the side walls of which form ways or bearings for the journals. These slots open into the cored out recesses 21 and 21a. The journals slide up and down in said slots and rotate therein. The flat faces of the 'cam'shaft are spaced apart a distance equal to the diamcter of the journal portions so that the shaft may be passed through slots 19 and 27 in assembling the press. o

The head member 11 is shifted up and down by imparting rotary mot-ion to the cam shaft 14 and horizontal reciprocating` motien to a pair of thrust members 28. The latter are identical in form, each comprisingg` a relatively thick steel plate oblong in plan and with flat, parallel upper and lower faces. The shaft 14 is supported by the shaft with the flat faces of the latter bearing directly upon the opposed flat faces of the two plates. Anti-friction rolling elements are arranged over the upper thrust plate and below the lower thrust plate. Preferably, as shown, steel non-traveling bearing; plates 29 are interposed between the lowei` set of rolling elements and the upper face of the base and between the upper set, of rolling` elements and the bottom face of the head member 11. Plates 29 are flat and relatively thin and are oblong in plan view. As shown, the rolling elements comprise two sets of steel rollers`30 extending transversely of the press, the ends of the rollers of each set being confined in longitudinal slots in a pair of sheet metal retainer bars 31 disposed close te the side edges of plates 28 and 29. Each bar 81 is formed at one end with a lug or hook 32 to engage behind the outer edge of the adjacent thrust plate 28.

A positive mechanical driving connection is preferably provided between each traveling member 28 and the rotary and Vertically sliding member 14 of the head-shiftingf mechanism. As shown, these connections are toothed gear connections and comprise four rows of short teeth 83 on each thrust plate extending fore and aft of the press and meshing with four circumferential rows of recesses or tooth sockets 34 formed in the main working portion of the cam shaft. The positive drive thus provided insures prompt and uniform movement of the plates 28, provides for positively restoring the roller bearings to the same point after each press operation, and assists in preventing accidental displace- -ment of the traveling elements of the lifting mechanism.

It will be observed that the head member 11 and devices thereon are supported by the lifting Inechanism just described. It is highly des'irable to prevent tilting of the head member 11 during shifting movements thereof or when pressure is applied to one end of the work carriage, as such movement of the head 11 may cause derangement of the work or displacement of some part of the Operating' mechanism. To this end said head member is guided, as above described, and is further supported by a combined balancing or steadying and return inechanism which will be now described. A pair of sheet metal, rectangular balancing plates 35 are hung on the reduced journal portions of the shaft 14:, said plates being interchangeable and provided With large circular apertures 35a through which the eccentric portion of the cam shaft may be passed. These plates are confined between the adjacent side walls of the press frame and the Shoulders formed at the junctures of the journal portions of the shaft with the eccent-ric portion and .thus preventi accidental endwise motion of the shaft as shown more clearly by dotted lines in Fig. 7. The plates are of such si ze and so 'located that they also prevent endwise movement of rollers 301 and cooperate with plates 28 and 29 to hold the retainer bars on the ends of the rollers. The top edges of the plates 35 eng'age under the side portions of head member 11 when the parts are in normal position and the vertical front and rcar edges of the plates slidably engag'e the face plates 12 to form a steady and firm support for member 11 when said member is in its normal, lowermost position.

The press is provided with work-supporting means including a carriage for supporting the type and the work and a track to support the earriage for horizontal sliding` movement fore and aft through the press. This track include-s two straight rigid, steel bars 36 rectangular in cross section and much /longer than the fore and aft dimension of the press frame. The inner face of each frame side member 3 and 3a is recessed at its upper end to forma seat for one of the bars 8G. This seat has a Vertical fiat face 37 corresponding substantially in height to the greater cross-sectional dimension of the bar and a fiat horizontal face or ledge 38 of materially less width than the lcsser dimension of the bar. The two seats eXtend straight and parallel the full fore and aft depth of the frame side members and. the medial portions of the bars 36 are Vaecui'ately itted therein with their lower eoges resting' upon the ledges 38 and their upper ede'es substanllO tially flush with the edges of the side memformed in the upper ends of the side Enembers 3 and 3a. These screws are threaded into apertures 41 formed, one in each bar 36, and the outer ends of the screws are provided with heads which are received in countersunk recesses in the outer sides of the side members. By tightening the screws the bars are secured firmly upon their seats.

Two carriage-supporting strips 42 extend along the under sides of each bar 36 at the front and back of the frame. These two strips are of the same size and shape. They are formed of steel and are straight, fiat and rigid. Each extcnds from the front or rear face of the frame outwardly to the adjacent end of the bar, and is firmly secured to the under side of the bar by 'screws 43. The width of the strips is materially greater than the width of the bars 36 and they extend inwardly along the latter to form four fiat, carriage-supporting ledges 44, two in front of the press frame and two back of it. These four ledges are all in the same horizontal plane and preferably this plane is very slightly above the upper face of the head member 11 when the latter is in its normal or lowermost position.

Interposed between the lower press head 11 and the under faces of the bars 36 are four coil Springs 11a whose lower ends are seated in sockets 11b formed in the ends of the press head. Springs 11a are normally under compression and tend to constantly press the head 11 downward, the pressure being exerted adjacent each of the four corners of the head. The parts are kept under Constant and even pressure in such manner as to insure easy and prompt action and prevent accidental displacement thereof. At its ends the press head 11 is recessed as at ll to provide clearance for its elevation.

The work-supporting carriage 45 is in the form of an elongated rectangular metal plate, flat and smooth and of sufiieient thickness to render it strong and rigid. Its length is preferably somewhat greater than that of the bars 36 and its width is such as to adapt it to rest upon the ledge's 44 with a slight clearance between the opposed inner faces of the bars to permit it to slide freely fore and aft upon the ledges. ecured upon the carriage adjacent the rear edge thereof is a transversely extending card gauge and clip 46 under which therear edge of a type set-up card is adapted to be placed.

The under face of the upper press frame member 2 is formed to provide a seat or track 47 for an adjustable upper press head member 48. The seat or track 47 includes most of the face area between the bars 86 and is slightly elevated above the surfaces which contact with the side members 3 and 3a. It is fiat and smooth and lics within a plane which inclines slightly from the front face of the member 2 downwardly and rearwardly to the rear face thereof. Mounted to slide upon the track 47 is the press head member 48. The latter is in the form of a rigid steel block rectangular in plan. Its forenand aft dimension is somewhat greater than that of the frame member 2 and its length across the press is a trifle less than the distance between the bars 36. In fore and aft section it is wedge-shaped,.having a fiat, smooth, horizontal lower face 49 and a fiat smooth upper face 50 which inclines to the same degree and in the same direction as the track 47 and contacts with it. The head 48 is supported at its opposite side edges by pin-and-slot connections. The bars 36 carry rigid pins 51 located near the upper edges of the bars and projecting inwardly from the inner face thereof. The opposite side edges of the head 48 are formed with slots 52 extending along their length in an inclined plane parallel to the plane of the face 50. There are four of the pins 51, two upon each bar, similarly spaced apart a material distance fore and aft. They are. disposcd to lie within an inclined plane parallel to the plane of the track 47 and to. enter the slots 52 of the head and support the latter for sliding movement along the track.

The head member 48 is adjusted along its track 47 by manually operable screw means. Mounted at the rear of the press frame member 2, midway between the sides thereof is a screw 53. This screw is formed with a relatively large threadcd portion 54 and a reduced portion 55. The latter extends through an opening 56 formed in the frame member 2, a short distance above the track 47, and opens into a cored out recess 2'1 formed in said member. The inner end of the reduced end is threaded and has a nut 57 screwed upon it to draw the shoulder of the screw against the rear face of the member 2 and bind the screw against turning. The recess 2a opens through the track 47 and renders the nut 57 accessible when the head 48 is removed. screwed upon the rearwardly projecting end 54 of the screw and is formed with a channeled hub 59. Mounted centrally upon the rear edge of the head 48 is aV plate 60 formed with an upwardly extending fork which straddles. the hub of the nut and engages in the channel thereof. The plate 60 is removably secured to the head by screws 61. The nut is thus operatively connected to the press head 48 so that by turning it the press head is moved back and forth upon the track. This lateral movement of the head causes a Vertical movement of the under face thereof toward and from the opposed lower press head 11, due to the inclination of the track and the head-supporting means. Preferably the inclination of the track is very slight in order to provide for Very fine Vertical adjustments of the head 48 in accordance with slight variations in the thickness of the type and Work upon the carriage 45. In practice I have secured good results with a track having an inclination of two and one half degrees. This inclination may be varied however.

A knurled hand nut 58 is f The press frame and mechanism just described form a unit for the support of which a pedestal 62 is provided. This pedestal 1s formed of two castings 63 and 64. The 'casting 63 is in the form of a hollow spread- Sing base Vwhich extends upwardly at the center and is flat at the top as shown at 65. The casting 64 forms an upwardly tapering` hollow column` At its lower end the column 64tis for-med with a flat web 60, which rests upon the fiat top of the base, and a depending fiange 67 which overlaps and surrounds the upper end of the base and prevents lateral displacement of the column. \The upper end of the column casting (34 spreads out to form a fiat, horizontal, tablelike top 68 somewhat similar in plan to the ;plan of the press frame but slightly larger.

In'the assembly shown in Fig. 1 a spreading table casting 69 is supported upon the pedestal top 68. The casting 69 is formed with a fiat central portion 70, which rests upon the pedestal top, and with two shelves 71 which extend outwardly from opposite sides of the central portion and in a plane elevated above the latter. Depending` fianges'and webs 72 and 78 respectively are formed upon the castings 69 to strengthen it. The flanges extend along` the front and rear edges of both the shelves and the intermediate portion and conceal the pedestal top. The webs 73 extend between the flanges. The shelves 71 lare formed with slightly countersunk, rectangular seats 74 whose bottoms are of spider form, as shown in Fig. 2. VVithin each seat rests a cabinet unit 75 containing a plurality of drawers 76.

The press unit is adapted to rest upon the Yintermediate position 70 of the table casting, with the latter interposed between the unit and the pedestal top 68. The portion 70 and the pedestal top are each provided with four bolt apertures 77 and 78 respectively which are arranged to register with the apertures 10 formed in the ears 9 of the press frame. Headed bolts 79 are passed downwardly through said registering apertures and have nuts 80 threaded upon them within an enclosure defined by the fianges and webs 72 and 73 of the 'table casting. Vhen the parts are thus assembled the shelves 71 support the drawer units 75 in convenient positions at opposite sides of the press unit. Type may be .kept in one of the drawer units and work cards and \sheets in the other.

In Fig. 5 the table casting 69 has been removed and the press unit is bolted directly to the pedestal top 68. The apparatus is readily convertible to either of the two forms, by removing the bolts 79, and 'the parts are designed to present a finished appearance in either form.

In the use of the appa-ratus for embossing cards, the carriage plate 45 is drawn forward overiits supports 42 to a convenient position for setting` up the type thereon. The carriage is not secured to the press frame in any. way and so if found more convenient it may be entirely removed therefrom for the type-setting operation. Preferably a set up 'ard is first placed upon the carriage. Such a card is provided with Vmarkings to facilitate the line-up of the type and it is trued upon the carriag'e by engagement with the clip 4G. `When the type have been set-up with their active faces direct-ed upward, a card with one or more shects of colored paper thereon is next placed over the type with the paper interposed between 'the card and the type. Then the carriage is slid back along,` its guides to carry the set-up to aproper position between the press heads ll and 48, the `latter having been adjusted by means of the nut 58 in proper accordance with the thickness of the type, the card and 'the f-zheets. The Operating handle 20 is then pulled forwardly and downwardly to elevate the press head 11. To limit this movenient of the handle it is provided with an adjustable stop 20 to engage the fixed stop Q3. When the head raises it picks up the carriage from its supports del, elevates the cai'riage and set-up and causes the card to engrau'e the under face of the press head S. forces thetype into the cardboard, cuttingl the letters and forcing` the cutout letters into the cardboard in the usual mannei' of presses of this type. Then av pressing operation is completed, the handle is swunjg to norinai postion. VThis permits the press head to shift to its lowerinost position and again allow the carriage to rest upon the ledges 44. lThe'carriage is then supported entirely independently of the press head and may be shifted along said ledges to expose the set-up. In making large signs a plurality of successive pressing Operations are necessary, the carriage being moved forwardly in successiye st-eps, and after each pressing' operation, to brino' a new set of type between the press heads.

'Vhile I have shown and described a thoroughly practical and satisfactory form of my invention I do not wish to be limited strictly to this disclosure but Vreserve the right to make such changes therein as will lie v7ithin the scope of the claims.

Wlhat I claim is: i

l. An embossing` press comprising a frame; a lower head mounted to shift Vertically in said frame for the embossing Operations; an inclined track carried by the frame over said lower head; a wedge-shaped upper head opposed to the lower head; pin and slot conn-eetions between 'the frame and opposite sides of the upper head supporting the latter for movement along the track with its lower face parallel to the upper face of the lower head to Vary the distance between saiol faces; and manually operable screw means located at the middle of one end of said track for adj listingy the upper head therealong.

2. A press comprising a frame; a lower head mounted in said frame to reciprocate vertically; |an upper head opposed to said lower head; a work-supporting carriage to shift fore and aft between the said heads; and means carried by the frame to shiftably support said carriage-independently of the lower head when the latter is in its lowermost positionl and permit the lower head to pick up the carriage and elevate it when said head is shifted upward.

3. A press comprising a frame; a lower head mounted in said frame to Shift Vertically; an upper head opposed to said lower head; a work-supporting carriage in the form of an elongated rigid plate; guiding and supporting means for said plate carried by the frame; extending beyond the front and back thereof and -adapted to slidably support the plate for fore and aft movement between said press heads when the lower head is in its lowermost position and adapted to permit the plate to be picked up and I elevated by the lower head.

4. A press comprising a frame; a lower press head mounted in said frame to shift vertically; an upper press head adjustably carried by said frame and opposed to the lower head; means to adjust said upper head toward and from the lower' head in accordance with variations in the type and work thickness; a work-supporting carriage to shift fore and aft between said heads; and means carried by the frame to support said carriage independently of the lower head for fore and aft shifting between said heads when the lower head is in its lowermost position and permit the lower head to pick up the carri'age and elevate it.

5. A press comprising a frame; a. lower press head mounted in said frame to shift vertically; an upper press head carried by the frame and opposed to said lower head; a work-supporting carrialge in the formV of 'an elongated rigid plate; a pair of rigid guide bars for said calriage extending fore and aft through the frame and outwardly from the front and back thereof; means rigidly -and removably holding said bars to the frame above the opposite ends of the lower press head and ledges carried by the bars to slidably support the carriage for fore and aft shifting between the press heads when the lower head is in its lowermost position and permit the carriage to be elevated by the lower head.

6. A press comprising a frame; a lower press head mounted in said frame to shift vertically; a work-supporting carriage; a pair of rig'id guide bars for said carriage extending fore and aft through the frame; means rigidly and removably holding said bars to the frame above the opposite ends of the lower press head; means carried by the bars to support the carriage for fore and aft shifting across the upper face of the lower head when the latter is inits lowermost posit-ion and permit the carriage to be elevated by the lower head; an upper press head opposed to the lower press head and formed with inclined slots at its opposite ends extending fore and aft; inwardly extending pins carried by said bars to engage in said slots and support the upper head for inclined shifting to adjust it toward and from the lower head; and means to shift and hold the upper head in its different adjustments.

7 A press comprising a frame; a lower press head mounted in said frame to Shift vertically; a work-supporting carriage; a pair of rigid guide bars extending fore and aft through the frame; meansrigidly and removably holding said bars to the frame adjacent the opposite ends of the lower press head; means carried by the bars to support the carriage for fore and aft shifting across the upper face of the lower press head when the latter is in its lowermost position and permit the carriage to be elevated by the lower head; an inclined track carried by the frame over said lower head and extending fore and aft; a wedge-shaped upper head opposed to the lower head and adapted to slide along said track for adjustment toward and from the lower head and formed with slots at its opposite ends inclined corespondingly to said track; pins carried by said carriage guide bars to engage in said slots and shiftably support the upper head for movement along the track; and screw means to shift the upper head and hold it ;in its different adjustments.

8. A press comprising a frame; a lower press head mounted in said frame to Shift vertically; an inclined track carried by the frame above said lower head and extending fore and aft; a wedge-shaped upper ress head adapted to slide along said trac for adjustment toward and from the lower head and formed with slots in its opposite ends inclined correspondingly to the track; projections supported within the frame to engage said slots and support the upper head for fore and aft movement along the track; and means to hold the upper head in its different adjustments.

9. A press apparatus comprising a press mechanism; a pedestal provided With a spreading top to support said mechanism; a table member formed to extend outwardly from one side of the press mechanism and formed with a supporting portion to interpose between the top of the pedestal and the press mechanism; and means to removably secure together the press mechanism, the table member and the pedestal and. permit the removal of the table member and the mountling of the press mechanism directly upon the pedestal top.

-. 10. A press apparatus comprising a press unit; a4 pedestal provided with a top to support said press unit; a table member formed to provide two shelves to extend outwardly from opposite sides of the press unit and formed with an intermediate supporting` portion between said shelves to interpose between the press unit and the top of the pedestal; and fastening means to removably secureA together the table member, the press unit and the pedestal top and permit the removal of the table member and the mounting of the press unit directly upon the pedestal to An embossing press apparatus comprising a press unit; a pedestal provided with a top to support said press unit; a table member formed to provide two shelves to eXtend outw'ardly at opposite sides of the press unit and formed with an intermediate supportinf,r portion between said shelves to mount upon the pedestal top interposed between the top and the press unit; a pair of drawer units mounted, one upon each shelf; fastenmg means to relnovably secure together the table member, the press un1t and the pedestal top and prinit the removal of the table member and the mounting of the press unit directly upon the pedestal top.

12. An embossing press comprising a frame; a lower press head mounted to shift vertically in said frame; an inclined pressure-receiving track formed on the frame and extending fore and aft of the press directly over said lower head; a wedge-shaped upper press head opposed to the lower head and mounted to slide along said track for adjustment of its under face toward and from the lower head, with its said under face parallel at all times to the upper face of the lower head and entirely exposed and unobstructed for direct pressing contact with Work disposed between the lie-ads; slidable connections between the opposite side edges of the said upper head and the frame to support the head for fore and aft movement along the said linclined track, said connections being entirely above the under working face of said upper head; and manuall7 operable serew means for adjusting the upper head along the track.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. v

ALVIN LEWIS. 

